Pride & Prejudice Book Club Podcast

Jessie Lewis is BACK! And she's here to talk about something completely new (to her): writing modern JAFF stories.

Emilie keeps the fan-girling to a minimum this time, and jumps straight into asking how writing a modern variation compares to writing a regency one. Also, why write a modern story at all?

And what in the world is a Malteser??? (American minds want to know!)

We keep the spoilers light for the first half of the interview, but please note that we do (eventually) talk about plot specific elements, so if you haven't read Jessie's new book, "Stuck", you should probably run and do that now.

We'll wait.

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🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis with special guest Jessie Lewis

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

✏️ Apply To Be a Co-Host Here: https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/nerd

Give us ALL THE BUTTER.

What does that mean? Well, according to returning guest Elizabeth Adams, "butter" is when part of a story is completely unrealistic, and it's something that would never happen...but we love to read about it anyway (also known as "squeal factor"). And Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star is practically *swimming* in butter.

Three rock stars falling hopelessly in love with three women in the same band? Darcy's fully committed after one passionate night? Everyone gets a happily ever after despite enough red flags to wallpaper Pemberley? YES, PLEASE.

Elizabeth joins Emilie to discuss this delightfully bonkers modern Pride and Prejudice variation, and while we're perfectly happy to indulge in the fantasy, we have some real questions. Why do we forgive Darcy for behavior that would send us running in real life? Why is Charlotte and Richard's toxic relationship so compelling? And if we think a character is romantic today, will we still feel that way in ten years?

Is the story realistic? Absolutely not. Did we enjoy ourselves? Absolutely.

We'll take another serving, please!

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🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis and Elizabeth Adams

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

✏️ Apply To Be a Co-Host Here: https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/nerd

Reading Kitty Wren's Trapped with the Most Vexing Man in the World is kind of like eating a really good chocolate chip cookie.

You know the recipe. You've had many cookies before. But when someone gets it just right? It's *so* delicious and incredibly satisfying.

With this book, we've got all the ingredients for a squeal-worthy Pride and Prejudice variation: a stranded Elizabeth, a worried and protective Darcy, an overcrowded inn, a little forced proximity, some excellent banter, and just enough kissing to make us want to kick our feet (or, at least Sharon wanted to).

We have a couple of quibbles, but overall, this was exactly the kind of sweet and satisfying variation we love reading!

Considering this is one of Kitty's first published books, we can't wait to see what she comes up with next...

🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis and Sharon Cortez

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

✏️ Apply To Be a Co-Host Here: https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/nerd

When Kitty Wren decided to publish one of the Pride and Prejudice variations she'd been secretly writing, she hadn't even told her husband the stories existed. A few months later, she's writing full-time, releasing books at an astonishing pace, and having an absolute blast doing it!

This week, Emilie welcomes Kitty to the podcast to talk about her unexpected journey from devoted JAFF reader to published author, and the romantic comedies that inspire her writing. From trapping Darcy and Elizabeth in wine cellars to giving Caroline Bingley a surprisingly sympathetic love story, Kitty has a talent for finding the funny, sweet, and occasionally ridiculous possibilities in Austen's world.

We also talk about our shared love of low-angst romance, the joy of seeing Darcy and Elizabeth actually happy together, favorite variations we return to, and why Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle really ought to reunite for another Pride and Prejudice adaptation.

If you love stories that make you laugh, swoon, and kick your feet, Kitty might just be a new favorite author.

Emilie doesn't believe in soulmates. Which makes it a little strange that she is such a sucker for soul mark stories! Give Darcy and Elizabeth matching tattoos, matching magical melodies, or some other cosmic indication that they are absolutely, unequivocally meant to be together, and she will eat. it. up!

Which makes this week's story a great fit. Sharon and Emilie are discussing Sarah Courtney's Mark of Character, a Pride and Prejudice variation where people with a close tie to the land are born with soul marks that identify the person they're destined to be with. Elizabeth has one. Darcy has one. There's just one small problem: Darcy is already engaged to Caroline Bingley, who supposedly has a matching soul mark of her own.

So Darcy and Elizabeth are drawn to each other almost against their will, Caroline is working overtime to keep them apart, and even in a world where Darcy and Elizabeth are literally destined to be together, the path to happily ever after refuses to be smooth.

We have so much to talk about!

We love the streamlined world building, the devious Caroline, and the utilization of side characters in the story. If Sarah Courtney is reading this: more, please!

Episode Credits:

🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis and Sharon Cortez

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!